After 28 years in the Horizon League, the University of Illinois Chicago — in its 40th year of Division I competition — will join the Missouri Valley Conference effective July 1.
UIC Chancellor Michael D. Amiridis and athletic director Michael Lipitz made the announcement from the school’s athletic center Wednesday afternoon and it was broadcast live on ESPN+.
Three-time MLB All-Star and former UIC baseball player Curtis Granderson narrated a video that played before Amiridis addressed the media.
“UIC has been a proud member of the Horizon League since 1994,” Lipitz said “We value the rivalries developed over nearly three decades and will look to continue those relationships when scheduling circumstances allow. We also look forward to competing against our Horizon League peers throughout the remainder of the winter and spring seasons this year.”
UIC joins Belmont University and Murray State as newcomers to the conference for the 2022-23 academic year and will be the fourth Illinois school in the conference.
Bradley University, Illinois State University and Southern Illinois University Carbondale create ample possibilities for new in-state rivalries. The remaining members of the MVC are Drake University, University of Evansville, Indiana State University, Missouri State University, University of Northern Iowa, and Valparaiso University.
UIC earned Division I status in 1981, winning 75 conference championships and making 47 NCAA post-season appearances in the time since. Last year, UIC won the Horizon League’s Women’s All-Sport champions on the strength of conference titles in tennis and softball, as well as runner-up finishes in swimming and diving and volleyball.
“A great addition for The Valley,” MVC commissioner Jeff Jackson said in a statement. “UIC’s combination of academics, location, facilities, financial commitment to athletic success, and leadership will enhance the brand of the MVC and the experiences of our student-athletes.”
